Clitheroe GC PGA Professional Paul McEvoy picked up the coveted ‘Partner of the Year’ title at TGI Golf Partnership’s annual Golf Business Conference held at Trump Turnberry in the Scotland.
McEvoy has been a valued part of the buying group for 20 years, serving on the board of directors for 15 years and sitting at the helm as chairman for three years, with the award recognising his longstanding dedication and devotion to the Partnership and his fellow PGA Professionals.
McEvoy said: “It’s humbling in an unbelievable way. We work all our lives to be recognised by our peers and this is the icing on the cake for all the years I’ve worked my socks off. I won’t stop now though, I’ll continue to do so, giving my all to my club, the PGA and TGI Golf, cut me in the middle and I bleed TGI.”
Callaway collected the top award for suppliers, scooping the Partner Supplier of the Year award, ending a run of four straight wins for Ping in the awards that are voted for by TGI Golf’s Partners through its annual supplier survey, which allows Partners the opportunity to score all the brands they stock in a number of categories using the globally recognised NPS system.
Neil Howie, Callaway Europe Managing Director, said: “I’m delighted to win this award. It’s been a
phenomenal five years for Callaway with TGI Golf. We’ve come a long way and I have a huge amount of thanks to TGI and the Partners to win this. We’ve worked hard to gain their trust and this means a lot. If current trends continue the way they are after the first month then TGI Golf may become our biggest customer in Europe in 2020.”
Ping still captured two awards. taking ‘Product of the Year’ for its G410 range and the ‘Hardware Supplier of the Year’ prize, while FootJoy claimed the Apparel Supplier of the Year.
The other Partner awards saw Richard Lally from Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands GC win the New Partner of the Year award, while Lee Brotherhood of Hollywood Golf Club claimed the Most Improved Business of the Year award.
Paul Stevenson of Portadown Golf Club scooped the Pro Shop of the Year award, while Royal Troon’s Kieron Stevenson took the first ever Marquee Pro Shop of the Year, a new award designed to reward the best of the many prestigious venues and resorts that are part of TGI Golf.
“This is the eighth year of our awards and each year the standard gets higher and higher,” said TGI Golf Managing Director Eddie Reid. “Our Partners’ businesses are continuing to move forward while golf’s suppliers continue to produce quality products. Congratulations to all the winners and to all those nominated we look forward to another excellent year in 2020.”
